


The Necromancer - by KayEUndercover

by SissolxJeffC4ever



Category: Adventures of Tintin, Original Work, TV Shows - Fandom
Genre: Action, Drama, Gen, Horror, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-19 18:38:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16539983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SissolxJeffC4ever/pseuds/SissolxJeffC4ever
Summary: Set post-Tintin and the Alph-Art. Sorcery and necromancy isn’t real. It’s all fiction and part of why said genre is so fun. But when strange things happen in a family in Estonia… things escalates. And even worse, it’s a friend of Tintin’s. It’s all up to Tintin and his friends to go and investigate this thing once and for all, because necromancy isn’t real, sorcery isn’t real… or is it?





	1. PROLOGUE - Estonia

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Now I’m finally back with some more cross-overs of Tintin, and no, no more romance for me! 
> 
> A/N 2: Since it’s almost Halloween, why not write something that’s got to do with said holiday?

  

A gentle breeze blew through an area of woods near the countryside of Tallinn, Estonia. The woods were quiet, except for one person near the edge. Two persons, in fact, and if anyone’d see them, they’d tell them that it wasn’t time for being outside. 

  The woods were always the target of stories and legends the villagers heard of whenever it was night-time, and that taught the children to be behind closed doors at all time. The two individuals were at the edge of the woods, after arriving in their village for such a long time. 

  The girl remembered about the legends and wanted to go back, not continuing forward, since no one would be out at this time of night. 

 

  “Please, you don’t have to know who or what is it that is building the fire, please, I…” she knew she was rambling because of the fear she’s feeling, but her elder brother (or was it? It was hard to make out in the darkness, even if there were people taking a walk around the place) held her closer and edged forward, carefully. “I’ve heard our grandparents talk about this, but I’ve never seen something like this.” 

  The girl was trying to get back, but the other youngster relented. 

  “Just bear with me, alright?” the boy asked again. His companion nodded and looked away. 

  Unbeknownst to them both, what they were seeing, cannot be unseen again. 

 

  The fire was burning and casting a warmer feel in the cold of the night. It was right in the middle of autumn, and daylight was getting scarce. If anyone believed in the legends the elderly group in the village told, it was the two individuals, or rather, the young girl. 

  At the centre of the fire, there were several figurines, more like what the ancient Incas used to use. Both youngsters gasped softly. It can’t be. 

 

  “What is that?” the girl asked quietly, finally convincing her brother to get away from the individuals wearing masks and sitting around the fire, “what’re they…?” 

  “I can not believe this, Annika, we have to get out of here now.” the boy whispered urgently, “if they see us…” 

  They both gulped. The boy sighed. He really should’ve listened to what his sister said before they went closer to the small bonfire. 

 

  There was a silence when they heard murmuring coming from whomever was around the small bonfire, and already, Annika’s brother was getting suspicious. 

  “… this is unbelievable,” he mumbled, leading Annika out of the woods, “we have to get going, Anni.” 

  Annika sighed. Fine, sometimes asking questions landed her in trouble, and it’s still best to keep her mouth shut until they get home. 

 

~*~ 

 

  It was still as dark as before when they got back to their house in the village, with Piotr Skut thinking about what he and Annika Skut, his sister, saw in the woods. He couldn’t believe it. The villagers gossiped about strange disappearances and strange people and houses in the middle of those woods, but he didn’t believe them. Now, he did, and he didn’t like what he saw. 

  Annika was also stunned at what she saw with Piotr. 

 

  “Is this it?” when they got back to their room, without waking their parents, she asked, holding out a notebook. “When Hansen mentioned about strange things happening in the woods, he gave me this. It’s mostly with his notes and whatnot.” 

  Piotr flopped on the bed and sighed, closing his eyes, but still seeing the images. What were they? 

  “What did Hansen say?” he asked quietly, hoping that Annika would not arouse suspicion. He should’ve listened, he couldn’t unsee what he just saw. “Annika, this is… oh, god, I can not believe it.” 

  “A cult practicing something, I guess, I never believed it anyways.” 

 

  Piotr sat up. “Annika, that’s… necromancy, I think, the villagers has been warning us about it and if mother and father knew we went out, they’d kill us,” he said quickly, rambling and causing all the words to connect. 

  Annika looked up. “Oh? Thought it was voodoo.” 

  Piotr rolled his eyes and smiled to himself. If Annika wasn’t freaked out as he thought she was, that’s a good thing. 

 

  Which also meant that it was the last time either of them would be going to the woods for a long, long, looooong time. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 1


	2. Movie Night(or, Date Night With Best Friends)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Tintin and Raisa Remi have a date over at the movies, but something comes up a little too quickly. Meanwhile, Marlinspike Hall is just getting into the Halloween Spirit : )

(Tintin POV) 

 

  It was a bright autumn afternoon in Marlinspike Hall, with birds chirping and the feel of autumn nearly complete. In fact, it was nearing the end of October, which meant that Marlinspike should be prepared with the annual Marlinspike Halloween Party, which meant almost every one of our best friends will be coming. 

  Sorry, I got carried away, as usual. My name is Tintin and I’m a journalist for the ‘Little Twentieth’, and as you may know, I was, and still am, living with my best friends, Raisa Remi and Captain Archibald Haddock, as well as his personal butler, Nestor; along with our pets. The captain’s cat and my dog, Snowy. 

 

  Raisa Remi was a fellow journalist, working for the Paris Flash instead, but since Captain Haddock is British and a complete matchmaker, he made Raisa and I together. And frankly, I have to admit, I kind of like her. 

  I was writing a column in Marlinspike’s computer room when Raisa and Nestor entered. 

 

  “Sorry to disturb, Mr. Tintin, Master Haddock said that you and Miss Remi are supposed to be going to the movies tonight.” the latter said as I was starting my next line. 

  “No, he didn't say so,” said Raisa back. I nearly smiled. Raisa wasn’t like anyone else — she is capable of helping around in Marlinspike and she’s been hanging out with Prof Cuthbert Calculus for god knows how long. Not to say I was jealous, definitely not. “Right, so Tin, how ‘bout let’s go see how is Cuthbert’s latest invention?” she asked, before Nestor could say anything else. 

  I sighed in slight exasperation before giving in. I swear, Raisa is way more fond of Cuthbert than anyone else. 

 

  Leaving the computer room and going to Cuthbert’s room, Raisa opened the door just as a skeleton popped out, like the cliché saying of “a skeleton popped out of the closet”. 

  “Aaaaaah, so scary,” said Raisa, rolling her eyes and entering the professor’s room. “Hi, Cuthbert, just wanting to see if you need some more help with the Halloween deco?” 

 

  Cuthbert was decorating his room, just like what I did previously in my room. 

 

  “Oh, hi, Raisa, now what brings you here?” they were starting small-talk and I was getting frustrated over here. 

  Raisa smiled again and I very nearly face-palmed. Cuthbert’s hard-of-hearing habit never really bothered her — I told you she’s never judgemental, unlike the captain. 

  “Oh, Tin and I’re just about to go hang out!” she beamed, waving her arms, “wish us luck!” 

 

  Cuthbert smirked at us. “Right, and good luck with that, Tintin, you really got yourself a broad this time!” he beamed back, and I just about died in embarrassment. 

  I nodded. “Right, thanks, Cuthbert, now, c’mon, Raisa, do as we just said,” I then pulled her out of the room and we went  downstairs. 

 

~*~ 

 

  As usual, we went to the usual place — the movie theater that was right in downtown Brussels, which was a city full of life even when evening came way earlier than it did when it was summer. 

  Because today was the last day of work, the movie theater is starting to show four movies. Weekdays, the theater showed one on daytime, and one on the evenings. Weekends, two in the day, and two in the evening. Fortunately, we caught the evening two. 

 

  Entering the theater, Raisa started scanning the posters of what movies they were showing, and of course, The Outsiders was on, again, and so was Karate Kid — the WHOLE trilogy, that is! 

  Raisa smirked at me when she saw me staring at the posters as we bought drinks and popcorn. 

 

  “We’re seeing The Outsiders and Karate Kid, eh?” she smirked again. 

  I couldn’t believe it. I went to Japan not long after the Alph-Art scandal, because of something the movie tycoon and… well… my usual enemy, the Greek-American movie director, Robert Rastapopoulos, started wrecking havoc and tried to hide facts about the tension between the Chinese and the Japanese. Even worse, he started using karate as a way to manipulate followers. When I told that to Raisa, she commented that it sounded almost like the final Karate Kid movie, aka Karate Kid PRT 3, with the original cast. 

  I had to agree with her sentiments. 

 

  “Well, I have a feeling yes, you’ve seen the Karate Kid trilogy already, endless times, with Cuthbert.” I said back, “we’re seeing Back to the Future, please?” 

  She smirked. “We’re seeing the Karate Kid trilogy AND Back to the Future, Tintin, no use pleadin’ with me!” she decided, and dragged me over to the screenings. 

 

  When we got to our seats at last, there were already two others seated right in front of us. Raisa grinned at me, and right away I remembered that she knew them — Luciano and Dimitri from the Tempo. 

  The movie, Karate Kid 1, was starting, so I ignored her as she bugged the Italian reporters, kind of like Dallas Winston bugging Cherry and her best friend in Outsiders. I swear she, like Cap. Haddock and Cuthbert, are all reading too much of S.E.Hinton’s stuff. 

 

  “Oh, ciao again, Raisa, nice seein’ ya around!” Luciano turned around and grinned at us, “how’s the scoop these days? We’re… well… seeing to it, and Gino’s still trying to get photos of those celebs.” 

  Raisa smiled and said, “right, and guess what, Tintin here just got back from Japan and I thought it’d be fun for him to watch something that has karate inside, again. He had to do training for 7 days and he had to compete against… uh…” she looked back at me, “… who’s that again?” 

  Without taking my eyes off the screen, I said, “Chang and the karate expert, Shosuke Yama.” 

 

  Raisa beamed. “That’s the one!” 

  Dimitri turned around. “Aren’t you and him dating now, Signorina?” he asked, then to Luciano, he said, “so the others were right. The rumors were true.” 

  “No, we’re only kind of dating, aren’t we?” she looked back at me again. 

  I didn’t want to argue with her, especially when she’s trying to flirt with a couple of Italians. And good-looking ones, at the least. 

 

  “We just came here to see some movies and chill,” I said to them, and to Raisa, I said, “OK, now let’s watch the movies in peace.” 

  Luciano and Dimitri sniggered at us and turned back around. If Cap. Haddock was right, I may really love Raisa without her knowing it. 

 

~*~ 

 

  It was way late when we finally finished watching the movies, and Luciano and Dimitri were talking all the way till the last movie of the night ended. I swear to god, I kind of think Raisa’s conversation skills were better than mine. 

  They didn’t stop chattering until the lights came on, and until I had to remind them about us leaving for Marlinspike soon. Raisa beamed. 

 

  “Tintin, d’you mind if we get more drinks?” she asked me, finally finishing her conversation with Luciano. I nodded. 

  “Right, of course.” smiling back at Dimitri and Luciano as well, I said, “right, so we’re just going to get some more drinks, don’t y’all run off.” 

  And with that, we went to get drinks. 

 

  We were waiting for the bartender to give us our drinks when I received a message from the captain. 

 

 

 _|_ Archibald Haddock: Tintin, message for you from another best friend of yours — Skut. He wants to reach you as soon as you can, because apparently something’s come up back in his country, and we have to go help out. Brilliant, isn’t it? 

 

 

  I didn’t know what to think. A movie night ruined or… made even more exciting? 

  Raisa got our drinks and she saw through me again, as usual. She was very observant, if you ask me, and it was because of that, Cap. Haddock stopped being too addicted to Loch Lomond, which was literally her perfume scent recently. 

 

  “Tin, you alright?” she asked, peeking over my shoulder at my cell phone. 

  I clicked the phone off immediately. “Oh, fine, just something that’s come up and I have to deal with it tonight, apparently,” I said back. Raisa and Skut met each other briefly when we went to Estonia the first time, and already those two are hitting it off like Two-Bit and Marcia in Outsiders; while at the same time, it was also my first time meeting her. I don’t want to spoil their relationship to you, but they’re way more friendly with each other than her with anyone else, or he with anyone else, for that matter. 

  She smirked again. “Right.” 

 

  I sighed. This had better be important, or else I’m really not joining in again. 

 

~*~ 

 

  Back in Marlinspike, it was almost like some haunted mansion, thanks to Nestor’s decorations. Raisa and Cuthbert were over-enthusiastic, but the captain wasn’t. 

  Haddock was delighted to see us, as usual, but pulled me aside and ushered Raisa upstairs. I looked at him. 

 

  “OK, spill.” 

  “Your pilot friend wants us to go to Estonia again.” was all that he said, and Raisa, who was about to ask Nestor about dinner, perked up. I swear that woman has super-hearing, unlike Cuthbert, no offense to him, though. 

  “Soooooooooooooo… captain, we’re seeing Skut again?” she grinned, taking off her trench coat and hanging it on the clothes hanger. “Right, couldn’t wait to go to Estonia again.” 

 

  “Raisa, d’you have to cut into every single conversation the captain and I have?” to be frank, I was getting frustrated at her. “I’m not sure, but maybe either you or me is staying behind. Cuthbert might be.” 

  As usual, Raisa ignored me. “So, Captain, what is it about?” she beamed, not even fazed by my irritation. Usually she’d start an argument. 

  The captain didn’t seem happy about Skut’s possible message at all. 

 

  “I don’t know, but it depends if you like Halloween scoops,” he said slowly, “something strange is happening in Skut’s village, or rather, the village he grew up in. Necromancy or some bric-a-brac at that.” 

  There was a deafening silence that you could almost hear a feather fall. 

  “So it’s true?” Raisa murmured. 

 

  “Is what true?” I asked back. 

  The captain ignored the both of us. “Now, are you two going or not,” was what he said. 

  Raisa looked like she’d start dancing if there’s music. 

 

  “Of course, captain, we have to!” she cried, “just think, this is the scoop of the century!” 

  I smiled a little bit. So fine, we’re going to Estonia, and it’s another adventure. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 2


	3. Tallinn(or, Meeting the Skut Family; or, Meet the Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Tallinn. Nuff said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yay, finally, they’re going to Estonia, and… get ready for some Piotr Skut/Raisa Remi connections. Also, just platonic relationship! I may write a Raisa/Skut story someday, but not now!

(No one POV) 

 

  It wasn’t until the next day did they finally decide to go to Tallinn, and already, things were getting heated at the dining table. Raisa wouldn’t stop texting Piotr, and Tintin was getting upset. Of course, the captain just had to make this into something concerning them both. 

  Tintin nearly slammed his cup of tea down when Raisa’s iPhone chimed again, with said person immediately reaching over to check on it. 

 

  “Great, we can leave the next day! Or better, today.” she scanned the message and beamed at Tin and Haddock. The former and the latter exchanged a glance. 

  Haddock couldn’t pass this opportunity to humiliate his young friend. 

  “So, Tin, jealous?” he asked, with the same mirth-filled smug grin. 

 

  Said person looked ready to whack at the other. 

  “Why should I be?” he asked back, “just because we’re hanging out doesn’t mean we’re dating.” 

  Raisa grinned at their bickering. She was, as expected, enjoying herself too much. 

  “Of course not,” she said back, “we’re friends, that’s for sure, and Tolkien and I are friends as well. Though he and I are closer to each other.” 

 

  That was the truth. First and foremost, Raisa was someone to Tolkien Verne, another associate of Haddock’s. If it wasn’t of said person’s nagging, Tintin would’ve already forgotten, and he didn’t want to remember exactly what Tolkien thought of when Haddock mentioned that Tin had feelings for Raisa. 

  Besides, Raisa and Tolkien were boyfriend and girlfriend for way longer time than Tintin and Raisa, who not only just met not long ago, also shared a way larger age-gap than the latter with Tolkien. 

 

  Archibald finally understood the message sending to him by Tintin’s eyes. 

  “Fine, fine, no need to make you more humiliated — heck, I was humiliated enough when Tolkien asked me!” he cried, “aye, fine, Raisa, let’s go to Estonia today, if convenient!” 

 

~*~ 

 

  Piotr Skut didn’t expect something out of the ordinary when he finally got back to Estonia, while directing Mr. Carreidas on his business trip with Mr. Spalding. Things were strange enough, but he got the message after the arrived at Tallinn International Airport, thankfully. Annika Skut, his sister, knew better than text her elder brother when he’s flying. 

  If it wasn’t of her text, Piotr wouldn’t’ve contacted Raisa Remi as soon as he arrived in the airport, with his co-pilot, Keevan, directing the business tycoon. 

 

 

 | Piotr Skut: Annika, I can’t come back. I’m still at work. Tell me what happened afterwards, please. The village is already almost deserted, so many people moved away. What could go wrong? 

 

 | Annika Skut: Piotr, it’s important, you have to come back as soon as possible. The village was never deserted — it was because of something driving the villagers away. Mother said that it was the cult — you remember that night when we went to the woods? Hansen and I are scared, everyone is. Come back as soon as you can, alright? Just… yes. 

 

 

  Piotr sighed at Annika’s text. Putting his phone away, he considered on calling Raisa before leaving Mr. Carreidas and Spalding alone. 

  Keevan led them to the gates and turned to him. 

  “Piotr, you seem agitated, what’s going on?” he asked. Keevan and Piotr became friends when they were still in aviation school and military camp. 

 

  Piotr didn’t want to reveal everything. All he knew was that Keevan was from downtown Tallinn, not near the suburban areas, so it would be near impossible for him to understand. 

  Shaking his head, he looked at his companion. 

  “It’s nothing,” he said back, as he and Keevan started going back to the lounge and listen for their next duty. “I got to call Raisa…” 

 

  Keevan sighed in slight exasperation and followed Piotr to the lounge, where some others were trying to be occupied before their next duty(-ies). 

  “Listen, I can tell you’re pre-occupied, what is it?” he stopped the other and asked, more firmly this time, “you know, I may understand.” 

  Call Raisa, call Raisa. Piotr didn’t want to tell someone from the richer side of Tallinn about his personal problems at all, even when he and Keevan were growing close. 

 

  “You… I’m not saying you won’t, but… it’s really personal, alright?” he said back, and took out his cell phone again and called Raisa. “Just something going on back home.” 

  He was about to scroll through his contacts when all of a sudden, another message nearly caught him off-guard. Annika again. 

 

 

 | Annika Skut: Piotr, please, you have to. I don’t know how long can we stay here. They’re coming to get anyone not leaving the village. The whole place is panicking and no one’s sure if they’ll live through the night. The woods are even more dangerous than we think. 

 

 

  Piotr stared at the message. “I am going to tell Raisa as soon as I can,” he said to himself, and texted the journalist. 

 

 

 | Piotr Skut: Hey, Raisa, Skut here. Can you come to Tallinn as soon as you can, please? Tell Tintin as well. Something’s going on and I need both of you. 

 

 

  Clicking the phone off, he smirked at Keevan. 

  “Nothing major, just needed to meet someone,” he said, almost in a sing-song way. Piotr just knew that Keevan wouldn’t care whatsoever. 

  Said person, just as expected, rolled his eyes. 

 

  “Sure, and if it’s a date…” Keevan smiled smugly back, already knowing what might happen. 

 

~*~ 

 

  Raisa, Tintin, and the rest of their group, meanwhile, arrived at Brussels Central Airport, which was missing the ‘i’, therefore it looked like it said, ‘Brussels Central Arport’. Raisa and Cuthbert were so excited they couldn’t stop interrupting each other when they heard Tin mention about the so-called Jewelry Bound, which was some royal treasure being stolen by some of Robert Rastapopoulos’s gang members. 

  Raisa was invited to be on the scoop when she and Tintin met; and even more ironical was that they met when they were supposed to be interrogating the Estonian natives, Skut and his fellow pilot best friend, Keevan. 

 

  “So what did Skut ask you?” breaking out of Haddock and his chat about whatever might be mentioned person’s objective on calling them to Estonia, Tintin asked Raisa, “you and him were texting all morning!” 

  Raisa beamed. “He’s inviting us to Estonia, and guess what, I think it’ll be something to do with Halloween.” she said, “he didn’t tell me everything, so don’t expect me to know everything.” 

  She looked away from Tintin and smirked at Cuthbert. Both knew that suspense was good for someone like Tintin. 

 

  Said person looked upset at her. “Skut didn’t text me so I have no idea why he wants us there,” he said back, “it’s strange, though.” 

  Raisa looked at him with slight mock-concern. 

 

  “Ah, well, you’ll know soon, but if you haven’t done anything Halloween themed, get ready, because this really is something I never expected!” she exclaimed, when they finally pulled into the parking space of the airport, “now, chop chop, let’s go!” 

  Getting out of the cab, Tintin, Raisa, and their entourage entered the airport, with Raisa texting again. Tintin sighed. Seems like Skut and Raisa are really getting good. 

 

  It had been almost hours later did they finally get to their boarding gates, with one of the stewardesses looking like that stewardess Tintin saw when he and Cap. Haddock went to the astronomical conference. 

  Raisa was about to ask him something when her phone rang. Skut, as usual. 

  “H’lo?” she asked, “Raisa Remi here?” 

 

  Tintin looked away. If it wasn’t anyone but Skut, she wouldn’t pretend to not know you. Again, his guess was right. 

  “… yes, yes, we’re about to board!” she was saying, “… no, I didn’t tell anyone, but you sure? Right,… no, I didn’t tell Tin… what? No way, we’re not… yes, we’re together, but not ‘together’ together… yes,… no… no…” 

  Tintin looked up to the boards. Right, things were taking forever. 

 

  “We’ll be boarding soon, I think,” he reminded her, and she said into her phone, “… right, and according to Tin, we’ll be boarding soon! Y’know how it’s like! Air traffic and whatnot.” 

  Tintin looked away again. He shouldn’t be… jealous, of course not, but he couldn’t help but think Skut and Raisa was getting too close to each other. 

  “So how was it?” after she hung up and the announcer announced, “flight 302 to Bayreuth, Germany, is ready to board! All passengers to gate No. 2, please!”, he asked, trying to mask the frustration, and obviously Haddock and Cuthbert weren’t being helpful. 

 

  Raisa smiled. “You never know, we kind of have some exploring to do if we ever get there.” 

 

~*~ 

 

  The plane ride was too full of suspense, if you ask Tintin, so it took almost all of his willpower to not ask Raisa any questions until they get to Tallinn International airport, where Piotr and someone else waited for them, finally as friends waiting, and not as aviators. 

  Raisa and Cuthbert’d been talking non-stop about the former’s phone call and that was why when said former saw Piotr, she ran over and gushed, “you might not know, but we can’t wait to see what’s going on!” 

  Tintin very nearly smiled at her enthusiasm. 

 

  “Miss Remi, is strange occurrence in village,” he said back, “hope me no inconvenience.” 

  Raisa grinned. “Nonsense, we love it here, don’t we, Tin?” she asked, looking over at Tintin, who was already trying to observe Piotr and Raisa’s behaviours. Realizing he was asked a question, Tin immediately said, “right, sure, of course, why not?” 

  The truth was, he had no idea why he had a strange feeling about this establishment. 

 

  Getting out of the airport and when they finally got into their transportation, Raisa and Piotr continued on their conversation as if they were already old friends, even when they only briefly met when Tintin and his other companions went to Sydney for the astronomical conference. 

  Haddock and Cuthbert were also conversing between themselves. 

  “… whatever she meant, I don’t know, whomever believes that, I ask you?” Cuthbert was saying, “I mean, sure, it’s near Halloween, and Estonia kind of has a reputation for… well… the start of sorcery and all that kinds of urban legend bric-a-brac.” 

 

  Tintin’s ears perked up at that one. Sorcery? 

  “Sorry if I seem to be listening, but sorcery?” he asked, and Cuthbert smirked, “you know that true, Raisa didn’t take any research? How can witchcraft be real? Still, leave it to Skut’s family.” 

  Tin sighed. Fair enough, maybe he’d go into investigation as soon as they arrive. 

 

~*~ 

 

  The Skut family lived in the village that was close to the countryside, and besides a large acre of woods, or rather, forest, seemingly out of a natural landscape. Houses were getting scarce as they continued on their voyage, but Tintin couldn’t concentrate. All he could think was what did Cuthbert meant by sorcery. 

  Raisa and Piotr were already onto the topic about Tin’s adventures in Japan, meeting new people and forced to be learning karate, when they both cracked up and startled Tintin out of his reverie. Looking over at them, he could see how they were enjoying each other’s company; maybe this was what Tolkien meant when he mentioned about Haddock not allowed even near Raisa, despite them being distant cousins. 

  Raisa was the first one to look out of the windows, between her and Piotr. 

 

  “Tin, I think we’re arriving,” she said, finally calm and no longer almost jumping up in excitement, “this is similar to that Halloween adventure we had, in the Netherlands, remember?!” She was getting excited again. 

  Tintin smiled at her. Sure, Netherlands was fun and it was kind of like the television show of Walking Dead. 

 

  When they finally arrived and was going through the village, Tintin couldn’t help thinking what Raisa said might actually be true. What is going on here? 

  “Skut?” he looked up and asked, as Piotr and Raisa were walking in front and Archibald and Cuthbert were walking together with Tin, “where is everyone?” 

  That was when Skut stopped walking. 

 

  “You don’t know what you’re asking,” he said back, looking behind him at Tin. “This why I want you here.” 

  Tintin sighed as all of a sudden, a new person rushed out and hugged Skut close. 

  “Oh, Piotr, you’re finally back!” she cried. 

 

  Piotr looked away. “Right, I’m back,” he then looked at everyone else, “Annika, these are my friends, Tintin, Cap. Haddock, Cuthbert, Raisa. Tintin, Raisa, Cap. Haddock, Cuthbert, this is my sister, Annika.” 

  “Right, hi, Tintin and I are journalists for the Paris Flash and Little Twentieth respectively,” said Raisa briskly, “so why did you need us so desperately?” 

  Tintin wished Raisa never asked that question because he honestly didn’t like Annika’s answer. 

 

  “It’s about something happening in the village,” she was saying, as everyone entered the house. The house was nicer than Tin expected, and he was grateful. “People are reporting their family members disappearing, and we have no idea how. Piotr suspects necromancy, which is practiced here very often. You should’ve heard what the elders said.” 

  Necromancy again. Exactly what, and why, was Tintin feeling uneasy ever since they landed in Tallinn? 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 3


	4. Legend of the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Raisa and Tintin had to go out to the woods to investigate, but they didn’t find anything. Meanwhile, a family friend is missing, and time is running out for the Skut family — because they might just be next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope this is good enough, since it’s almost Halloween and I need to write more horror stories. Tintin is the easiest, for some reason — maybe because of his tendencies to solve mysteries like Sherlock Holmes? 
> 
> A/N 2: Also, sorry, this is long, so be ready for quite a ride.

  

To say Tintin didn’t sleep well at all the previous night when they arrived in Tallinn was an understatement. Snowy was agitated all night and at the same time, thinking about what Annika said wasn’t helping. 

  Estonia did have some history of necromancy, since the country is Nordic and near the north of Europe. Willing himself to stop thinking, he decided to just get up and go to the living room to see what was Raisa and Piotr up to. 

  The living room was clear and Annika was making breakfast. Raisa and Cuthbert were talking to each other, but the former was serious while the latter was mishearing almost everything she said. 

 

  “… don’t think it has to do with something fictional,” she was saying, “y’see, it is said that there’s people living in the woods, and again, theres’ the stories Piotr and his sister heard when they were younger.” 

  Tintin didn’t want to continue hearing what she was saying. They had to get out of here. 

  “Raisa, don’t you think something isn’t right about this?” he couldn’t help but speak out, and Raisa looked up, “there’s something in the woods and Snowy was uneasy all night, so was I.” 

  Cuthbert and Raisa exchanged a glance. 

 

  “Right, and what does that tell you?” the latter asked, staring at Cuthbert, and said person replied, “so you’re saying you want his pet to be the experiment?” 

  Raisa put her laptop away and stood up. If this was what Tintin was worried about, she didn’t know how many risks would they actually take. 

  “No, we have to go to the woods ourselves,” she said back, just as Annika and Piotr got out of the kitchen. 

 

  Piotr was distraught and Annika was terrified as well. Raisa sighed and exchanged a glance with Tintin. 

  “What is it this time?” she asked them. If Piotr and Annika, who lived here as long as they were young, were frightened, that justified Tin’s paranoia. 

  Annika’s aqua eyes were full of fear. 

 

  “Hansen’s gone.” she said instead, and very nearly passed out cold. Raisa had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. One person gone… that means they really did have to investigate the woods and the area near and around it. 

 

~*~ 

 

  Tintin and Raisa were out the house before Haddock could wake up. Tin understood. No one slept well and it was understandable, but it never explained why were the Skuts even more paranoid than they were. 

  They decided to go out before lunchtime, and before they could to to downtown and calm down their nerves. That was suggested by Raisa, though, and she didn’t want to let anyone else involved, only her and Tin. 

  Annika was speechless. 

 

  “Please, go anywhere but the woods!” she cried, when Raisa asked her permission to go to mentioned place. “Oh, Piotr, if only…” 

  “The past is in the past, Anni,” said her brother back, then turned to Raisa and Tintin, “no, don’t go there. Not safe.” 

  Raisa and Tintin exchanged a glance. Brilliant, now how were they supposed to be investigating this thing? 

 

  The former looked up and hated herself for being so defiant. 

  “We have to, Skut,” she said quietly, then grabbed Tintin’s arm and dragged him to the door, and outside, slamming said door behind them, before anyone could respond to her reaction. 

  Outside, it was quiet, way quieter than Raisa or Tintin’ve thought a village could be. What if Skut was right, the villagers were really disappearing one by one, and no one knew about their whereabouts? 

 

  The woods were right behind them, since Piotr and his sister liked to stay near to natural environments. Annika mentioned it was one of the only factors she and Piotr could stand by not fighting when they can. 

  Raisa stared at the woods. Really nothing was going on there. 

  “What about the woods?” after some silence, Tintin asked, “also, aren’t we going to downtown?” He meant that as a conversation starter, but trust Raisa to think of it as something else. 

 

  She smirked at him. “Oh, so you are asking me out?” she asked, “right, we’d better investigate this woods later on. Let’s go to downtown.” 

 

~*~ 

 

  With Raisa and Tintin gone, Cuthbert finally looked up from his own laptop and looked around the living room. Cap. Haddock was awake and now smoking his pipe outside on the balcony, or rather, the veranda, since Piotr and Annika’s house didn’t really have a balcony, and both Estonians were also outside, looking towards the woods, looking uneasy. Cuthbert stared at them. Raisa’s words had to’ve been getting to them. 

  Walking towards the veranda, Cuthbert decided to maybe just ask for Raisa’s position and just get along with questioning and interrogating the Estonians — they’ve to know everything, shouldn’t they? 

 

  “Captain, may I speak to you a sec?” when he approached the trio, Cuthbert asked, “something about Raisa.” 

  At once, all three looked up. Annika was anxious, Piotr was incredulous, and Haddock was just plain skeptical. 

  “What about her?” he asked. 

 

  “Raisa Remi, you know Tin’s current broad?” Cuthbert couldn’t help but smirk a little at the captain’s expression. Haddock had been trying to get Raisa and Tintin together forever, with little to no success; and now, they’re out together, because Cuthbert said, “she and Tin just went out together, and I’m wondering where are they going.” 

  Annika looked hard at Cuthbert. “Cuthbert, please, just make sure in no circumstances do they approach —” she was about to finish when Piotr said, “if they want to, let them, you wanted them to investigate this thing, remember?” 

  Haddock and Cuthbert stared at the siblings. They were too much like what Raisa and Tintin were like back at Marlinspike. 

 

  “Fine, fine, I’m comin’!” the former sighed in resignation and stood up from his bench on the veranda, “better make it worth it ‘cus Raisa and Tin’re younger than you think.” 

  He gave the Estonians another hard look and went back inside, sliding the slide-door closed hard. 

 

  Back inside the house, Cuthbert sat Haddock down at the dining table and showed him what was happening. 

  “OK, this was what Raisa sent me today, way earlier than normal,” he began, “according to her, whatever the Estonians said was fake, and yes, even though there may be people living in the woods, it can’t be a coven or a cult. Besides, if there really is a cult, why did they rise just now?” 

  Haddock remembered about what he and his best friend used to play when they were younger. Something about discovering cults. He shrugged. 

 

  “Better ask Raisa,” he said back, “that’s the best advice.” 

  Cuthbert rolled his eyes. “Listen, captain, Tin’s paranoid and Raisa’s skeptical, just like you, and yes, if you’re wondering, she told me they’re going into the woods today, just for an investigation.” he finally said, slightly exasperated, “what she wants us to do, is cover up for them. Those two —” he nodded towards Annika and Piotr, whom just entered the house from the veranda, still talking to each other in Estonian, and his stare hardened, “— have no idea about Raisa and Tin. That’s why ever since we’ve arrived, Tin and Raisa’s been good to each other and no longer bickering like siblings. The least we can do is cover for them, till they come back from that place.” 

  Haddock had to admit it was true. Tintin and Raisa’s relationship aside… covering for them was totally out of the question. 

 

  “No way am I covering for them.” he said back, “Skut and his sister said no entering the woods and that means no entering the woods. Tintin, I have to cover for him, but Raisa, she’s not as defiant, so no worries.” 

  Cuthbert glared at this point. “Captain, you ARE covering for them with me, no questions asked.” he said sternly, “and I’m saying this as a friend.” 

  Haddock stared at his Swiss friend. That, coming from Cuthbert, was serious and apparently, he was out of options. 

 

  “Fine, but only this once, and we’re not telling the siblings ANYTHING.” he declared, taking a swig of his Irish coffee cocktail he made from Piotr’s vodka collection. 

  Cuthbert smiled. “TO ANSWERS.” they clinked their glasses of Loch Lomond and both took a swig. 

 

~*~ 

 

  It had been way later, almost evening, when Raisa and Tintin finally got back to Piotr and Annika’s house. Tintin was paranoid and Raisa was defiant, when Piotr opened the door for them. 

  Raisa didn’t even acknowledge the siblings when she barged in, with Tintin slowly trailing behind her, trying not to look suspicious. He sighed when he arrived at the living room. They were getting punished for sure. 

 

  Entering his room, Tintin flopped on the bed, trying to calm down. So they were going into the woods. 

  “Tin, we’ve to go now,” he was about to close his eyes and just try to calm down when a knocking sounded at his door, then opened and in stepped Raisa. Tintin nodded and put his novella of Catcher In the Rye down. 

  “Right, and good luck not being caught,” he said back, “Raisa, are you sure about this?” 

  The other Belgian native looked incredulously back at him. 

 

  “Since when did Tintin, the greatest reporter ever lived, got skeptical about others’ opinions of himself?” she asked back, and Tintin ignored her. Sniggering to herself, she led him out of his room. 

  Outside in the living room, Piotr, Annika, Haddock, and Cuthbert were all huddled together. Well, almost. Cuthbert was interrogating the siblings, and Haddock was looking wide-eyed at Raisa and Tin, the former who waved at him, smiling. 

  If it wasn’t the door slamming behind Tin and Raisa, Haddock wouldn’t’ve snapped out of his trance. 

 

  “They’re go —” he was about to say that Tin and Raisa’re gone when Cuthbert elbowed him hard in the ribs, causing him to interrupt himself with a yelp. 

  “Are you alright, captain?” tearing his attention away from the Estonians, Cuthbert looked concerned at his companion. 

  Haddock just glared. 

 

  “FINE, CUTHBERT, WE’RE PLAYING!” he shouted, startling the siblings, “anyways,” he finally quieted his voice and looked at Cuthbert, “I’m wondering why is Raisa so determined about exploring the woods behind this house.” 

  That got Annika and Piotr to look up at him. 

  “There’s a legend about the woods, captain,” the former said quietly, “and apparently these disappearances are fueling it.” 

  The captain and Cuthbert beamed at each other. A legend! Raisa and Tintin are sure to miss the story! 

 

  “A legend.” when Haddock turned back to the Estonians, he sounded skeptical again. 

  “It better tell when companions are back,” all of a sudden, Piotr said suddenly. “Should’ve known Raisa do this.” 

  Haddock looked ready to collapse into laughing, as usual, when coming to Estonians. 

 

  “Then you have no idea of Raisa and Tintin after all!” he exchanged a virtual high-five with Cuthbert when they were interrupted by shouting. 

 

~*~ 

 

  Raisa and Tintin were already inside the woods when the latter thought he heard something. Snowy was with them and he hid behind Raisa. 

  Turning frantically, Tin cried, “who else is with us?!” 

  Silence. Only leaves rustling after a gentle, cool breeze blew through the openings. Tintin sighed, he really should’ve listened and investigated that noon. 

 

  Edging closer and closer to the middle of the woods, Raisa looked around. They couldn’t see the houses anymore and it might be hard to go back as soon as it was sundown. 

  The leaves were rustling because of the wind, but Snowy immediately got agitated when Tintin stopped walking. Raisa stopped as well. 

 

  “What is it?” she asked, hating herself for sounding so freaked out. Sure, now she had to admit she doubted Tin in the morning. 

  Tintin was staring ahead. Raisa slowly, horror movie cliché style, looked ahead as well, and froze. A house was in the middle of the woods, and some figures were moving about inside. 

  Snowy was really getting agitated, and Tintin was frozen in horror. 

 

  “What is that?” he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Raisa was, unfortunately, right about the house in the middle of the woods. 

  All of a sudden, Raisa shrieked and nearly abandoned Tin right there — another figure was there, next to the house. It seemed to be wearing a cape and hood, but with a mask underneath. 

 

  Completely terrified out of their wits, Tin and Raisa ran back from where they came from. Seems like Annika was right; other than that, they didn’t find anything abnormal. 

 

~*~ 

 

  Tintin nearly panicked when the door failed to open on the first try, when the second, it was opened by the captain. 

  “WHAT WAS THAT?” still panicking, Tin shouted at Raisa, and Raisa looked back at him. 

  “Don’t ask me, Tin!” she snapped back, “I don’t know.” 

  They looked hard at each other and Cuthbert and Archibald exchanged a glance. 

 

  “Trouble in paradise.” the former whispered to the latter, as the siblings sighed in almost unison at Tin and Raisa’s shouting. 

  “OK, I think we owe you an apology.” said Piotr quietly, and Raisa immediately stopped shouting at Tin. 

  “We’re the ones who’s supposed to be apologizing, Piotr, promise.” she said gently, and Cuthbert nudged Haddock, nodding at Tin, who was sending disapproving looks at both his friends, “we didn’t know. OK, explanation, please?” 

 

  Annika finally spoke up. “That’s the reason why I warned you and Tintin to not go into the woods,” she began, “it began years ago, when Piotr and I were still little.” 

 

~*~ 

 

  The sound of leaves rustling rippled through the woods near a medium-sized village in suburban Tallinn, Estonia. The woods were the target of many village stories and legends that passed down from generations to generations, and because of that, there were two individuals standing at the edge of said woods. The rustling were the sounds of their gentle footsteps sounding on the dried up leaves collected around the trees near to them. 

  The two individuals were the Skut siblings, who were kind of popular around the village because they were so interested in aviation, with Piotr obsessed and his sister mildly interested. But this time, nothing was aviation-themed — they wanted to see if what their grandparents said were true, or rather, Piotr wanted to know. But at the same time, this was their second time going to the woods late at night.  

 

  “Please, can we go back already?” the younger one asked. That was Annika, the younger of the siblings. “We’re not supposed to even be out at this time of night.” 

  Piotr didn’t listen to her closely, since he was staring at something moving, deep in the woods. 

  “Oh, my god…” he murmured. Annika clinged onto him closer as she felt chills go down her back-bone. “This is worse than what we saw previously, Anni, there’s people in the woods.” 

  Annika couldn’t believe her brother. Sure, Piotr was older, but that didn’t mean he could frighten her, especially in an environment like the one they are currently in. 

 

  “What’re you talkin’ ‘bout?” she hissed, as all of a sudden, a rustling sounded, gentle, almost like an eerie-sounding note of music. 

  She and Piotr both froze, feeling the hairs on the back of their necks standing up. Someone, or something, was in the woods; and no one knew about it. 

  The rustle sounded again, too close for comfort to them. 

 

  That was when they ran back to the village, as if all hell was behind them, chasing them relentlessly. 

  Fortunately, they lived near the edge of the woods so they got to shelter quickly. But it was also a disadvantage. What if their parents couldn’t be home one day, and the thing got them? Piotr didn’t want to think about that. 

  But that was also the time when they read through the notes given by Hansen to Anni. 

 

~*~ 

 

  “… so that’s all I can tell you for now.” finished Annika, after they got back to the present. “We heard something in the woods but didn’t see it. Piotr saw it.” 

  Piotr glared at his sister. If it wasn’t of Tintin and Raisa and their entourage, he wouldn’t really be reminded of the scary night when he and Annika got to the woods again, their curiosity getting the better of them. 

  “Please, no go there again, Raisa and Tintin,” he said quietly, “something going on and we don’t want you to go missing.” 

 

  Raisa sighed and shook her head, looking towards the veranda, which had the curtain drawn over it to hide the view. There has to be an answer to everything, and this was certainly the beginning. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 3: And yes, this is kind of inspired by some creepy-pastas I read, because of Halloween.


	5. Another Capturer(or, Capturer By the Darkness Within)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Reports are coming in of strange behaviors going on in the woods; and to say everyone is terrified was an understatement. Exactly what is going on, and will the missing villagers ever be saved?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is a shorter chapter, so… yeah, just bear with me, please.

  

Deep inside the woods, the house was quiet. Or, almost quiet, but that was surely before two individuals interrupted the patrol one of the inhabiters had in mind on doing. 

  There were more rustling in the leaves than normal this time and surely, it was the two individuals the inhabiter saw earlier that evening and morning. 

  “Get the female,” one of the masked individuals said quietly, “those two will have no idea, and that’s the point, they shouldn’t know.” 

 

  That was when they were spotted. The female and the male stopped walking and stared straight at the house. 

  There were people living inside the house and surely, they weren’t supposed to know. 

  “Duck cover!” the first figure hissed, quietly, that is, before the female shrieked and ran with the male out of the woods. “Drat it!” 

 

  “Who is it?” the other one asked, finally standing up again and going back to the house, “why…” 

  The first figure looked hard at the second. 

  “That’s Tintin.” 

  For some reason, just by mentioning Tin’s name sent the second figure into a frenzy. Exactly how were they planning to capture them? When finally the first one said, “never mind, better tell the boss.” 

 

  But one thing’s sure, their boss wasn’t about to forgive them that easily. 

 

~*~ 

 

  That same afternoon, when Raisa and Tintin were trying to research on what they found the masked figure, they heard a commotion going on outside. They could hear almost everything, when the veranda was open, because everyone lived very close to each other. Tintin couldn't help thinking that was how everyone got notified when someone disappeared. 

  He looked up as Raisa did as well. Again? If it was another disappearance, Raisa’s definitely telling Haddock what she saw. 

 

  “… when?” Annika was asking. She and Piotr were reading something over when they got called. 

  “… don’t know!” the neighbor was saying, “my husband and I are leaving, he says we can’t stay near cults or worse, people who practice black magic. There were graves being opened, Annika. There were holes dug in one of those.” 

  Raisa and Tintin exchanged a glance when they heard that. Grave robbers? 

 

  “The mystery thickens…” the former grinned at the latter, seemingly enjoying the suspense the village was providing. “We’d better go check the cemetery.” 

  Tintin shuddered. All his life reporting and writing for columns, he never’ve gone to the cemetery, since those places creep him out. 

  The door to the veranda slammed shut, making Raisa and Tintin look up again. 

 

  “Thundering typhoons, who believes that?” Haddock. 

  “A mat? Captain, tell Tin, exactly what is going on here?” Cuthbert. Tintin turned around and looked hard at both his friends. “What did the Estonians mean by commentary?” 

  Raisa smiled at Tintin. There was a reason why she and Cuthbert were so good together; she loved him and never cared about him mishearing everything she said. 

 

  She and Tintin both turned around and stood up from where they were sitting at. 

  “Tin and I’ll be going to investigate, if it’s really unsafe, it’s better if the inhabitants move away from this place. Sure, the woods do have a mystery surrounding it,” she said, pulling Tin close to her, adding dramatic effect, then pushing him away, “now let’s go, we’ve to go to the cemetery.” 

 

~*~ 

 

  The cemetery was slightly further away from the village, but still relatively close. When Tintin and Raisa arrived there, they could see plenty of people surrounding one of the graves. Tintin suddenly felt depressed. Even though he was never disowned by his family, and always contacted them whenever he could, even alerting them when he moved in to Marlinspike Hall, he couldn’t believe how upsetting this was. Raisa was staring intently at one of the graves. 

  Tin looked over at that one as well. There was a hole almost deep enough for a person to enter. He shuddered again. Normally, he wasn’t scared, but this just made him get more than he bargained for. 

 

  There were people crying and some were shouting at the crowd. The commotion was from here. 

  “What is it?” Tintin asked one of the possible mourners. They could be doing a ritual. “What’s going on?” 

  “These graves were robbed, possibly, but no one’s super rich around this village,” explained one of the mourners, “there’s strange things happening in the woods, no one knows what. My family just disappeared a night ago, and all clues point to the woods.” 

 

  The answer just made Tin’s paranoia escalate until Raisa tugged on him. 

  “Look at that,” she mumbled, pointing at a sign near another opened grave. “I think Piotr’s theory of necromancy is true.” 

  Tintin looked over at the sign. Even though it was in Estonian, he could sense that it said something completely opposite of what he thought previously. 

  “Look, I don’t know Estonian, but we have to get Annika and Piotr here,” she said quietly. 

 

  Tintin sighed. True, but he was totally unprepared for their reactions. 

 

~*~ 

 

  Calling for Skut and Annika meant that they weren’t going to stay in the cemetery until the crowd left, so they stayed behind, when Raisa told Annika what they saw. 

  Just as Tintin predicted, said person nearly got a heart-attack when Raisa told her. 

 

  “Oh… god… this is even more serious than I imagined…” she moaned, then shouted for Skut to come, “PIOTR, I NEED YOU HERE, NOW!” 

  Tintin gave Raisa a look. “I told you not to tell her, now they’re even more paranoid.” 

  Raisa sighed in exasperation. Tintin wouldn’t learn whatsoever it seemed like. 

 

  “We have to tell them, they’re the ones who can provide us with answers, and exactly what is going on here.” when she finally pulled Tintin back into the latter’s room, she explained, as clearly as she could. “Listen, I tried asking one of the villagers, but no.” 

  Tintin was about to say something when there was another shout from the living room. Sighing in exasperation, Tintin went to the door and poked his head out. 

  “What’s going on this time?” he asked, “Raisa and I’ve to discuss something.” 

  But the answer was none of their expectations. 

 

  When he closed the door again, Tintin flopped on the bed, almost shaking with anxiety. 

  “Raisa,” he looked up after some time, with Raisa looking out of the window and listening to whatever the guys outside were talking about, “what if necromancy was true, and it’s going on here somewhere? We have to find the culprit.” 

  That was too possible, only Raisa didn’t want to admit it. 

 

  Sighing, she had to admit he was right, and what if it really was what was going on? 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 2: Sorry, seems like it turned long after all.


	6. The Darkness Is Coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Something happens to Tintin, but it wasn’t what he thought. Meanwhile, something happens to the Skut family that no one expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First chapter since Halloween evening! This is what happens after the cemetery incident.

  

A gentle breeze blew through the woods later the next evening. Tintin was away from the possible horrors of the countryside, or rather, the suburbs, when he and Raisa had to go back to downtown, in order to check up the history of Estonia, and its use of possible dark magic. That was the main reason why he and Raisa were downtown, and in the library again. 

  Tintin was really getting puzzled. This wasn’t like any other case he met, if one didn’t count the Alph-Art thing, where Rastapopoulos continued his misdoings, even following them into Japan, where he met Alcazar, the reason because of the cherry blossom festival. Apparently it was because of some political reason he was there, while Tin had to deal with something else. 

 

  Raisa was checking something on the internet when Tin mumbled, “should’ve known this would happen.” He looked up as he said that. “Raisa, how ‘bout we go to the woods tonight? There has to be something going on, but only while sundown.” 

  That successfully made his companion look up and stare incredulously at him. 

  “Honestly, Tin?” asked Raisa back. 

 

  Tin nodded. “Right, we have to go over there, and not telling Haddock or Cuthbert or either of the Skuts.” 

  Raisa sighed and looked around at the other people around them. It was getting late already and they had to go back to the suburbs. 

  “Maybe, but we’re not going inside,” she said back, “also, we’d better be careful, just in case we see the individual the last time.” 

 

  That, Tintin agreed. They’ve already convinced the others about they’re going out… 

 

~*~ 

 

  A breeze blew through the woods when Tintin and Raisa got back from downtown to the edge of the village, causing the leaves to rustle again. There weren’t people outside at this hour, and since it was already about 10 in the evening, it sure was risky, especially when coming to their friends’ warnings. 

  Tintin couldn’t imagine what might be happening in the woods at this time of night, when there were no sounds except for his and Raisa’s breathing and the rustle of leaves. 

  Settling down next to Raisa, who was lying low, he sighed, trying to forget the rumors. 

 

  “There’s nothing here.” he murmured, watching the lights from the houses, fading one by one, as everyone turned to curfew. “I don’t know, but what did make them think the woods are dangerous?” 

  Raisa had to admit she wasn’t sure either. 

  “It has to be paranoia, since there’s people disappearing,” she said back, as Tin watched the light from the moon overhead filter and light them up; lighting her up. He always thought she looked good, but under the moonlight, he felt like if he was someone like Cuthbert, he’d kissed her right then and there. But they were only friends, and she loved Tolkien. 

 

  Tintin nodded. Raisa should be right, there was nothing to be paranoid about, and if Piotr and Annika only spent the night under the trees, they’d agree. 

 

~*~ 

 

  It was way late when Tintin woke with a start. The moonlight was still filtering through the leaves of the trees, illuminating both him and Raisa, who wasn’t wearing her trench coat this time. He didn’t really notice her wearing it to the library, so it wasn’t strange at all, as his still sleep-deprived brain thought. 

  Tintin yawned. He wasn’t sure at all about the time. The best guess he could muster was that it was incredibly late, and he’d get in trouble with Cap. Haddock if he didn’t wake Raisa and go back to Piotr and Annika’s house. Cuthbert should be asleep now. 

 

  “Raisa, wake up, we have to leave.” he murmured, not really wanting to leave. The woods were peaceful, and he didn’t feel paranoid like he did when he was in his room. 

  Opening her eyes, Raisa looked up at the leaves, which was making a rustling sound as the breeze kept blowing, almost into a soft wind. That wasn’t unusual in Estonia, especially when said country was near the northern hemisphere. 

  “Oh, god, Tin, what time is it?” she asked, sitting up, “how long were we out?” 

  Tintin didn’t like the sound of that. 

 

  “It’s almost morning.” he mumbled instead, already knowing that he’d be punished severely if the captain or Skut knew. They’d warned him and Raisa, didn’t they? “Around… 12:34, according to my watch.” 

  Raisa nearly balked at that one. “You’d better go back,” she said quietly, “I think I’ll just stay out a little longer, maybe solve the cemetery thing once and for all. Go now.” 

  For once, Tintin didn’t know how to confront the captain, who might be still awake. 

 

  “Oh god, the captain’s gon’ kill me.” he mumbled. “Fine, I’d better go, and please come back soon, if Skut is telling the truth.” 

  Raisa nodded. “Sure will. Now go.” 

  Sighing again, Tintin stood up and went towards Skut’s house. He wanted to stay outside, with Raisa; not confronting the captain and explaining exactly what was going on. 

 

  The house was already dim with the lights mostly turned off, except for the living room light. Haddock was there, and Cuthbert was sleeping on the couch, since he must’ve agreed that he’d accompany said captain, just in case he stress-drink himself again. 

  Tintin sighed again. Here goes. Maybe he’d go in without being seen, and maybe he’d just get away scot-free. It’d been easy, hadn’t it, before he met the captain? Snowy was sleeping with Cuthbert, so yeah, that was one thing good. 

  Approaching the door, Tin opened it gingerly, and immediately Haddock was on his feet in no time at all. Great. 

 

  “Blisterin’ barnacles, Tintin!” he cried, throwing his newspaper away, “where were you?!” 

  That was what Tintin dreaded the most. 

  “Uh… Raisa and I were in downtown…” he began, “uh… she wanted to stay outside slightly longer, and yeah, so we did stay outside longer. Then… uh…” 

 

  Haddock’s eyes went wide. “YOU WHAT?” 

  Tintin gulped. “Welllllll…” 

  Haddock couldn’t believe what Tin was implying. They stayed outside for way too long, and the library was closed hours ago. 

 

  “Where were you, Tin?” he demanded. “DO YOU KNOW HOW LATE IT IS?!” 

  Tintin nearly forgot it was almost morning. If it was in some different circumstance, he’d asked why was the captain still up. 

  “Uh… I’m really sorry about this, captain, please,” he tried explaining, “we… we… we accidentally fell asleep in the woods before —” 

  That was the wrong thing to say. 

 

  “YOU WHAT?” Haddock screamed, and Tintin flinched. 

  “What is it?” Cuthbert stirred and asked, sitting up and holding Snowy close, with said dog stunned and yapping, “oh, hey, Tin, where were you?” 

  “I… we didn’t realize the time was late, OK?” Tin didn’t want the captain to wake up their hosts. 

 

  “YOU FELL ASLEEP IN THE WOODS?” said person shouted back, “EXACTLY HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO TELL YOU IT ISN’T SAFE? ESPECIALLY DURING NIGHTTIME!” 

  “Captain…” Cuthbert began, and Haddock turned to him. 

  “THAT’S ENOUGH, THUNDERIN’ TYPHOONS, CUTHBERT!” shouted Haddock at him, “freakin’ stop standing up to him. You have NO IDEA WHAT HE DID — FALL ASLEEP IN THE WOODS, AT NIGHT?!” 

 

  Tintin cringed again. Really, he shouldn’t’ve had. But so what if he did? He was with Raisa, and she’d be back soon, since she wanted to see to the cemetery before. 

  Cuthbert grabbed ahold of the captain and dragged him back, as Tintin entered the living room on wobbly legs. The living room was still illuminated by the ceiling light and it was a wonder how Cuthbert wasn’t bothered. 

  Entering his room, Tin turned around. 

 

  “I’ll be turning in the night, ‘night y’all.” he mumbled, glancing at Cuthbert, who was trying his best to calm the captain, by bribing him with some Loch Lomond. 

  Seems like he really better see to what might happen the next day, if Raisa ever found anything. 

 

~*~ 

 

  The next day, it was all quiet in the house. Tintin lay in bed, trying to hear any sounds. Raisa must’ve come back way later, but he could hear her speaking to someone, maybe Cuthbert, who he knew always woke up way earlier than anyone else, just in order to ask Nestor whose turn it was to cook the breakfast and wash the dishes. 

  Snowy was on the bed as well, watching him with concerned eyes, as if asking, ‘are you alright? Slept fine? God, Tintin, hope the captain won’t kill you today.’ 

  Tintin sighed and sat up. He really didn’t feel like confronting Skut and his sister. Swinging his legs off the bed, he went to the bathroom to wash up, then went to the living room, seeing Cap. Haddock disturbed and Raisa also looking concerned. 

  At the dining table, he could see Cuthbert and Skut talking quietly, with Cuthbert trying to be helpful for some reason. The captain looked up when Tin approached. 

 

  “Mornin’, Tin, I think you should know why was I upset at ye yesterday,” he said, glancing at Raisa again. 

  Tintin didn’t want to remember what happened last night. All he remembered was that he fell asleep with Raisa in the woods before being yelled at by Haddock, who also woke Cuthbert at the same time. 

  “Raisa, what’s going on?” he mumbled, not really wanting to hear the answer, before seeing Cuthbert pulling Skut into  a hug. 

  Raisa sighed resignedly. 

 

  “Tin, I think it’s important for you to realize Annika Skut is gone.” she said, with almost no emotion. Tin suddenly didn’t know what to feel. He didn’t like Annika that much, but she had hospitality, and was almost the same as her brother. Passionate about flying and aviation and all that. “The thing is, we have no idea where she might be.” 

  Tin cringed at the information. Even though he didn’t really have siblings, only cousins, he knew how worried he’d be if they just disappeared into thin air, especially when… the woods! What if there’s a connection? 

  “What about the woods?” he began, not wanting to arouse the memories of last night, or way early that morning, to Haddock. “I thought you stayed there…?” 

  But Raisa’s answer was completely different. 

 

  “What’re you talking about, Tin?” she asked back, “I said, we’d better go back before Haddock and Annika get worried; and you said you wanted to stay in the woods longer. I don’t know why, though.” 

  All of a sudden, Tin felt really cold. He and Raisa fell asleep together last night in the woods, before going back to Skut’s house, didn’t they? 

  “We fell asleep together in the woods…” he began, not wanting to arouse more suspicion. It was Raisa whom he fell asleep with, wasn’t it?! 

  Raisa didn’t become angry at him, though. 

 

  “No, Tin, we didn’t.” she said back calmly. She didn’t want Tin to understand the situation too quickly — it’d wreck him if it didn’t wreck the others yet, “you were alone, I observed you for some time before you fell asleep. Sure, you were with someone, and I thought it was Annika. Apparently not.” 

  If that didn’t give Tin the shivers no one knows what will. 

  “If not you, then who…” he suddenly remembered what Skut and Annika were arguing the other day about someone possibly abducting people into the woods, though it was only a theory for now. 

  Haddock was relieved that Tin wasn’t harmed, at least, though said person’d get hurt more often than not on his insane adventures. 

 

  “Now Annika’s gone, it’s getting weirder and weirder here,” he said finally. “Still, just go with Tin, whenever you can.” 

  Raisa nodded. She had to go to the cemetery again, since the village knows stuff quicker than how the media spreads it. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 2: Sorry about the late update! Blame my partners, though xD. Yes, Annika’s gone, and will they find her? And really, who was Tintin with that night when he fell asleep in the woods?


	7. Twilight Zone(or, Something Strange This Way Comes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Annika kept a journal of what Hansen observed when he was younger. Exactly what did it say? And meanwhile, why’re the graves opening up more and more? There’s no zombies, is there? So many questions, and so little time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Happy November! Hope this one will kind of make up for the lateness of the previous one… 
> 
> A/N 2: The opening is what happened last night, and soon it is the continuation of the story!

  

Raisa felt like she was in the Twilight Zone when she looked out of the window in the Skut House. Right, Tintin was outside, and in the woods. He was interested in what was going on and it was fine by her, but she couldn’t really put her finger on who was there with him. Another female. 

  Raisa wasn’t someone to get jealous just because a friend of hers was with another female, frankly, it was the opposite. Tintin was a popular person with females, and she knew it from the start, even before they met. But this female was just puzzling her, and the reason she was there. 

  Raisa sighed. She wanted to ask the captain, who was still reading something in the living room with Cuthbert. 

 

  “Now who is that?” she wondered to herself, slowly backing away from the window. Raisa’s room was close to the woods, and funny that Tintin thought he felt weird when living in his room, which was adjacent to hers. 

  Slowly getting away from the window, since outside, Tin and the strange woman were talking, with the latter not really acting suspicious, she decided that it might just be Annika. Annika… 

  Wasn’t she who warned them to not be near the woods at nighttime? 

 

  Raisa gulped and nearly ran out of her room to the living room. Instead, she opened the door quietly and poked her head out. Great, the captain wasn’t distracted and Cuthbert was getting sleepy. Maybe it really was Annika, or maybe a neighbor who just got back from downtown. 

  She was about to go back in to her room when the captain looked up. 

 

  “Oh, hi, Raisa, what is it?” he asked, “and where’s Tin?” 

  Raisa cringed and didn’t want to tell him about what she saw just now. 

  “Oh, uh… he’s taking a walk around the neighborhood,” she said back, “he’ll be back soon. Promise. But please don’t chew him out if he does,” she warned. 

  Right, sure, easier said than done, when coming to the captain. 

 

  “Of course not,” Haddock said back, “and don’t tell me he went to the woods.” Here, his eyes went darker and Raisa nearly cringed at her own memories of what happened. 

  “No way, he won’t.” And if only that was the entire truth. 

 

~*~ 

 

  Tintin was glad he wasn’t chewed out by Skut when Raisa saw said person being so distressed at Annika’s disappearance, maybe he was truly too distressed to care, and frankly, Tin was glad about that. Chewing out by Haddock was enough. 

  Tin didn’t really mean it when he listened to what Skut and Raisa were talking about, when he was, in his turn, using Raisa’s laptop to search for some answers on what could’ve been happening, when he heard another commotion. All three of them looked up. 

 

  “Another grave opening?” there was a silence, before Tin was the one to break it. 

  Skut broke away from Raisa and went to the veranda, leaving her and Tin alone in the living room, with them both staring at each other, worried beyond belief. 

  There was another silence, before Raisa was the one to break it. 

 

  “OK, I know it’s almost Halloween and I, I admit, have been reading H.P.Lovecraft more than S.E.Hinton, since the latter hardly writes about Halloween related things,” she exclaimed, turning to Tin, “but this is getting ridiculous.” 

  Tintin sighed. He had to agree with Raisa, and staying with Skut, without Annika, was unnerving him. 

  All of a sudden, Skut re-entered the living room and went straight to his and Annika’s room. Tin and Raisa exchanged another look. 

 

  Raisa grinned sneakily. “Hey, Tin, I’m thinking about a stake-out,” she began, “we’re seeing what Piotr is up to and we’ll plan for tonight.” 

  Tintin cringed. He didn’t want to be sneaking into graveyards in the dead of night, especially when it was still the day after he fell asleep, apparently not with Raisa, in the woods, where Skut and Annika warned them repeatedly to not go near to. 

  He sighed in slight resign. “Fine, but don't get more paranoid than me — one is enough.” 

 

  Raisa beamed. The stake-out is in! And no, no more people disagreeing, since this was inside the house. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 3: Sorry, but the next chapter will be about the stake-out, and some of the aftermath! No spoilers, sorry again!


	8. Necromancy By Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Raisa and Tintin gets more than they bargained for when they find out about what happens at the graves. The only downside was that they had to be in the study, right next to Piotr and Annika’s room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is a short chapter, so bear with me, please.

  

Dark silhouettes were illuminated against the walls of the small corridor of the Skut house. Tintin had his door open so he could get Raisa’s signal, and they got it alright. Raisa was excited, and Tintin was skeptical, which was unlike him; he was always the more adventurous one between him, Cap Haddock, and Cuthbert. 

  Down the corridors of the house, Tintin and Raisa tip-toed towards the study, and the latter froze when Skut stirred from his sleep, and slept on. She sighed in relief and edged carefully into the study, hoping not to arouse suspicion. Tintin followed behind her, his heart in his mouth. 

 

  A window pointed near the edge of the cemetery and the scene gave Tin the creeps, since it was already near Halloween and he’s heard of the French urban legend of Danse Macabre, which was told to him by Cuthbert’s best friend, the physicist Paul Cantonneau, who would’ve loved Raisa if they met, and Tin was willing to bet money on that ship. 

  Staring out at the graveyard, it was quiet, almost deadly quiet. 

 

  “This is like death,” whispered Raisa in her creepiest voice, and Tin just about jumped through the ceiling in shock. 

  “Great snakes, Raisa, you nearly gave me a heart-attack!” hissed the younger journalist back, glaring at his companion. Raisa grinned. 

  “Scared?” she teased. 

 

  Tintin rolled his eyes at her. No, he wasn’t scared — he’s a journalist, and he still remembered about his adventure with Mik Kanrokitoff’s crazy science fiction antics, prior to the eventual Flight 714, which took them to Sydney and causing them to have one hell of an adventure again — which also caused them to meet Raisa for the first time ever. 

  “Guess what, Raisa, I went on some adventure with Mik Kanrokitoff and he’s a sci-fi expert.” he hissed back, “so don’t even hope your antics’ll scare me.” 

  Raisa just smiled at him. 

 

  Things were quiet, so they decided to maybe get out of the window, before Tin saw movement near the bushes on the left of the cemetery. 

  Grabbing Raisa, he nodded towards the mystery individual. 

  “What’s that about?” he whispered, “who is that?” 

 

  Staring at the individual as well, Raisa really felt fear in her at last. 

  “Tin, this might just scare you out of your wits, so just be ready,” she murmured, listening to whatever sounds the house they were in had, “that was the female who was with you in the woods the other night. Annika’d been observing her, and according to her — Annika, that is — she, the individual, practices dark magic.” 

  Tin felt like he was in some cheesy Harry Potter story. 

 

  “No way, Raisa, magic and sorcery isn’t real.” he said back, “and how…?” he didn’t want to believe her when she said about him being with that creepy female, especially at night. 

  Raisa smirked and didn’t answer. “You’ll know verrrrrry soon.” 

 

~*~ 

 

  Tintin was uncharacteristically late up the next day, and only Raisa knew why. Skut was still worried about what happened to Annika, or what might happen to her, and Raisa was pretending to care, at least that’s what Haddock thought when he tried to brew his English Lipton tea. 

  Cuthbert was with the Estonian native and Raisa was acting as if she didn’t care, or couldn’t care less. That was what was bothering the captain, since Tin said that Raisa and Skut were best friends already even before they met each other. 

 

  “Don’t you care about what happened?” he looked up for the nth time that day, while Tintin was out and with Raisa trying to cover for him. He was going to the cemetery and solving this once and for all, whatever the Estonians say, and Raisa had to admire his courage. 

  Raisa pretended to nod. She and Tin already rehearsed this tons of times, until they finally dropped asleep in the study, and woke up way earlier than Piotr, fortunately, because they couldn’t afford to be discovered before they solved this strange case. 

  “Of course, extremely,” she said back, thinking back to what Tin reminded her. In fact, she did care, but according to Tin, she and him should pretend not to, in order for Skut to be convinced. 

 

  Going back through the super short corridor, Raisa smiled to herself. This was way easier and trust Tin to make it extra difficult. 

 

~**~ 

 

End chapter 8


	9. Cabin Secrets(or, Estonian Cults of the Unknown)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Horrifying things were found in the cabin, and seems like necromancy wasn’t so far-fetched after all. It was time for another stake out, but this time, they get more than they bargained for again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is just random, so… bear with me, please!

  

That same day, when Raisa convinced Piotr on researching something in the study, she got access to said place so she could see what was going on in the cemetery. Seems like Tintin was right, the graves were being broken into, but by what, and by whom? 

  That was still the question. Raisa was still thinking about that when she heard a chime from her phone. A message from Tintin. 

 

 

 | Tintin: Raisa, whatever happens, we HAVE to see what’s going on in the cabin toNIGHT, no later! I think there’s a connection between these two places, and whatever Annika was telling us, she has to be part of this. So is Skut himself. 

 

 

  Raisa herself nearly balked at the information. If Tintin was insisting that there were connections between the so-called cult and the supposed graveyard robbery… 

  “No way is Piotr involved in this.” she mumbled, typing in the message on her phone, as Tintin replied immediately. 

 

 

 | Tintin: I need you to trust me, Raisa, there has to be a reason why we’re here — they didn’t need our help — they want us to join the cult, or worse. 

 

 | Raisa Remi: No way is this happening. 

 

 | Tintin: Raisa, there has to be a reason why’s everyone disappearing. I’m not blaming Skut and his sister for being afraid — I’m blaming them for not acting. There’s a notebook in their bookshelf in their room, and Raisa, we need it. 

 

 

  Raisa wanted to ignore that message since she already knew. But why was Tintin telling her now? 

 

 

 | Raisa Remi: Why’re you telling me now? 

 

 | Tintin: I have to make sure they’re off-guard, Raisa, get it to me before sundown, and we have to lie to Haddock and Cuthbert about going downtown. Also, we’ll have to sneak in tonight. 

 

 

  Raisa nodded. Sure, another stake-out, and Tintin was already getting excited, as she could see from his texts. Sure, getting the notebook was one of the most difficult things — she’s never really been in Piotr and Annika’s room, though. 

  Nodding still, she agreed. “Of course.” 

 

~*~ 

 

  Dinner was uneasy because Tintin was insisting that he and Raisa make dinner, the objective, so they could “go to downtown to spend the night since it’s too freakin’ creepy here in the countryside, no offense to Skut, though, and believe us, we WANT to find Annika as soon as possible!”. Raisa and Haddock were talking about Halloween plans and Skut and Cuthbert were in another crazy conversation that refused to make any sense whatsoever. 

  Sipping on his drink, Tin looked outside. It was almost time to act, and Raisa was obviously as uneasy as he was. 

 

  “Ready?” he whispered to her, and she grinned, “you’ll never guess this, but there’s a Haunted House in Marlinspike for Halloween! Jolyon and some others are helping, or so I think.” 

  Tintin smiled as well. That was the code for yes, she was ready to go to “downtown”, which most obviously was the woods. And way deeper than normal. 

  “Great, sorry, captain, but we invited him.” he said to Haddock, who was looking at Raisa as if she just sprouted wings. 

 

  Tintin put his teacup down and excused himself. 

  “Hope y’all have a wonderful dinner, and we may be late, so no need to wait up!” he said, as he and Raisa edged away from the table, as naturally as possible, without arousing suspicion. 

  Skut looked up and Tintin cursed inwardly. 

 

  “Why you go downtown at this hour?” he asked skeptically, staring at the clock, which said it was around 7-ish. 7:15, to be precise. 

  Tintin smiled faintly, and Raisa said, “we wanted to check for more facts on what’s been happening.” 

  Tin shot her a glare. What the… 

 

  Cuthbert, thankfully, saved them. “No, they’re not going back, they can’t, without us!” he declared, getting tipsy from the vodka Skut and Raisa mixed. Immediately, Tin and Raisa looked relieved and was unseen by either Skut or Haddock. 

  Mouthing a ‘thank you’ to Cuthbert and exchanging a relieved look, Raisa and Tintin slipped out the door, their hearts still in their mouths. 

 

 

  The woods was a quiet place, too quiet, that is, and Tintin didn’t like the memory Raisa had told him when he got back to Skut’s house later on. If that woman was who he thought she was, that wasn’t a good idea. 

  Getting close to the edge of the woods, Tin and Raisa put on their hoods, disguising themselves as cult members, so they could enter without any suspicion. As they ventured in deeper, Tintin grew unsure about what he wanted to do. 

  The cabin was closer now, and they were closer and closer to the middle of the woods. Forbidden area, according to Skut and Annika. 

 

  “You brought the notebook?” asked Tin, when they finally looked around and made sure nothing and no one was following them. Raisa nodded. 

  “We need it.” she said back, “now, where d’we go?” 

  Tintin looked around the place. There was nothing but trees all over the place, and there was something going on in the cabin. He nodded towards said place. 

 

  “Something’s going on,” he whispered, “and it’s darning creepy if you ask me.” 

  Raisa cringed. Tin was one of the most fearless people she knew, and now he was freaked out? 

  Sneaking closer to him, Raisa also looked into the cabin, and they both heard chants. They were in Estonian, though. 

  The two spiers exchanged a glance. 

 

  “I told you.” hissed Tin, “and that woman must be… wait.” He looked hard at whatever was in the center. Several people and plenty of… bodies around the place. What was this?! “Oh… my…” 

  Raisa couldn’t help but feel ill after seeing what she thought she saw. Right, there was a woman and a man, together, also huddled in the darkness of the cabin, and whomever was uttering the incarnations was the leader. 

  “Now… RISE!” one of the cloaked and hooded figures went up to one of the bodies and spilled something on it, as well as the unconscious person next to it. 

 

  Outside, Tin and Raisa exchanged another look. 

  “Lazarus, Lazarus, rise of Lazarus…” they were chanting in English now. And like clockwork, Tintin looked horrified at Raisa. 

  “What now?” said person asked, not really understanding the terms. 

 

  Tintin cringed hard. “Oh… god… now I understand why,” he mumbled, “the villagers,” he nodded towards the mess on the floor, “this is necromancy, Raisa, highly dangerous.” 

  Almost at the same time, the chanting stopped, but the fire was still burning. 

  “Brothers, the dolls, please.” the leader spoke again, in his Estonian accent, “shouldn’t be more survivors. Now… please.” 

  The cabin door opened and three figures walked out. 

 

  At the same time, Tintin and Raisa jumped away from one of the windows and behind some trees, where they won’t be seen. Raisa also looked shaken as Tin read through some of the passages from the notebook. 

  “What is that?” she whispered, and Tin also looked over to the fireplace, which was starting to burn as well. 

  He knew way too well what that was. An ancient ritual on demon or devil possession. 

 

  “Great… snakes, not that… not that, please…” he couldn’t believe it. And the journal clearly stated that the cult was doing dark magic. 

  That was voodoo, as he witnessed in Peru when he and Cuthbert, as well as Cuthbert’s friend and Haddock had to go over there to break a curse. 

  By seeing how terrified Tin looked, Raisa finally understood. 

 

  “That’s voodoo,” she whispered, “now, which family are they targeting?” 

  Tintin had a hunch, but he didn’t want to say so. And he is going to do his best to protect the family he’s thinking of. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 9


	10. Family Arrangements(or, A Midnight Curse)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUMMARY: Tintin’s hunch was all wrong, and Skut and Annika knew all along what was going on. Annika was the only one who could stop it, since she’d had the journal. Now, it’s all up to Tin and Raisa, after the journal was handed to them, seemingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here’s the plot twist!

  

That same night, Raisa and Tintin were both left shaken. Seems like voodoo and necromancy was a hit around the suburban areas, and voodoo always got people bad luck, or even worse, deaths in families. The latter sighed, trying not to think about what might happen if Annika didn’t make it. Piotr would be absolutely devastated and Raisa wouldn’t feel too great either. She and Skut were growing closer and closer to each other, to Tin’s surprise and slight annoyance. 

  Reaching Skut’s house, Tintin closed his eyes and held his breath, but thankfully, it was Cuthbert who opened the door. 

 

  “Evening to you too, Tin.” he said quietly, not wanting to disturb the captain, who was on his laptop searching for something. Tintin gulped when he saw him. 

  Raisa eyed everywhere. They could run for it to their separate rooms and change, or they could confess. There were two options and for sure, the former was the choice they both selected. 

  “We’ll be going to our rooms,” she murmured back to the Swiss native, “and… g’night!” 

  And with that, they rushed to their rooms, hoping not to arouse suspicion, which was something they were prone to these days. 

 

  In Tin’s room, Raisa paced around and sighed to herself. Wasn’t Tin’s 714 mystery ting enough? She wasn’t about to blame Tin for trying to know about necromancy, since they had no knowledge of that. 

  Tintin flopped on the bed, listening to Cuthbert and Haddock say something to each other before going to their respective rooms. It was ridiculous, and if he didn’t want to ask Skut about it, then this wouldn’t’ve been a problem. The trouble was that whatever he saw, it raised more questions than answers. 

 

  “D’you think they’re trying to do something to the villagers?” he asked aloud, wanting to know what was Raisa’s thoughts on whatever they saw. “OK, what if that was a ritual?” 

  Raisa turned to him. No way was what they saw a simple ritual. It was clearly something evil and dark. 

  “I think there’s a reason why Annika has that book,” she said suddenly, “she thinks that her family was targeted several years ago. Now, (I know it sounds cliché, but I have to say it), I think it’s up to us to get Piotr away from being involved.” 

  Tin closed his eyes and thought about what happened. It was more difficult than he thought. 

 

  “Fair, and again, we’ve to go over there again.” Going there seemed easy, but if only they knew what was going on, and why. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

End chapter 10


End file.
